Explosion, fire destroys townhouse in SE Calgary; hundreds could have power, gas shut off

An explosion in southeast Calgary left a townhouse destroyed and could leave hundreds of homes in the area without power.

Emergency crews were called to a townhouse complex on Mahogany Gardens SE around 3:15 p.m. after getting reports about an explosion and a large plume of black smoke coming from a townhouse complex.

Calgary Fire Department (CFD) spokesperson Carol Henke tells CityNews one of the townhomes was destroyed and the two-alarm fire was spreading to neighbouring units. She says the homes were new but are believed to be occupied

It’s unclear if anyone was home at the time the fire broke out.

Parmedics say three people who were in the area were injured and one was rushed to hospital in stable condition. None of the injured people were inside the complex at the time.

Henke says the complex was new but believes the homes were lived in.

Henke also says there were reports of the smell of natural gas in the area.

In a post to social media, Calgary police say up to 500 houses in the immediate area of the explosion “may have their power and gas shut off or affected.”

A witness who was driving in the area says he heard the popping sound of an explosion before the fire broke out.

“The house lit up in flames,” says Lachlan Sandford. “Debris shot across the street and smoke started billowing out of the windows.

“It looks like it spread to the complex next door as well.”

There are eight homes in the townhouse complex where the fire broke out, according to fire officials.

Police say Mahogany Gardens SE is closed in both directions between Mahogany Boulevard and Marine Drive SE. Motorists are being asked to avoid the area.

Listen to 660 NewsRadio for the latest on this developing story.